By Daniel Smith
Presently, Haiti is getting sucked up by the quicksand of dilapidation. The previous years have not done much to register any imminent development in the country, but 2020 has made things even worse. But all hope is not lost. Haiti could still regain her lost glory. However, we need to first consider some challenges that Haiti is facing.
A Deteriorating Economy
With the confinement measures imposed on the Caribbean country, Haiti’s economy has only inched from bad to worse. Though, Haitians are already shacked — their situations gradually becomes more vulnerable as financial resources are being depleted. With challenges like unemployment which ranges as high as about 65 percent, the condition of Haitians has done nothing to improve. For many Haitian, spending $2 in the span of a day is a prove of wealth. The country’s national currency has lost value against the United States dollar; from 85HG per $1, it has become 129HG per $1. Given that the Caribbean country’s channels of acquiring resources is importation, the drop in the value of its currency deals a bigger blow.
Sociopolitical Insecurity
Invested by corruption, Haiti’s political system is in shambles. In general, the Caribbean country could be claimed to be herded by a system that is unanchored — a fact that could be supported by the condition of the country’s political system. A security council report specified that president Moïse has been ruling through executive decree since January 2020 after a new Parliament could not be established due to the failure of legislative and local elections in October 2019 — a result of the country’s Parliament failing to pass an electoral law or approve election budgets. This has led to riots, violence, impunity, and human right infringements. A Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) article, uploaded on October 6, agreed upon the fact that the Haitian government has been unable to attend to the needs of its citizens. The article also proclaimed that poor governance is the factor behind such incompetence, allowing corruption to eat into all sectors of the country’s institution.
TPS Deferment and CBTPA Renewal
Fortunately for Haitian immigrants in the diaspora, it is confirmed through a publication on the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) website that the United States Department of Homeland Security as of Dec 9, 2020 announced through a Federal Register Notice (FRN) that beneficiaries of the TPS (Haiti included) are to retain their TPS status through October 2021. But one of the many disasters that Haiti should look forward to, if the deportations eventually happen, is a humanitarian crisis that would wreck the country’s institution.
On the other side of things, the Caribbean Basin Trade Partnership Act (CBTPA) has been a profitable venture for Haiti, though it would not be enough to sustain a country whose constitution continues to deteriorate.
Food Insecurity
About 40%, which is a large percentage, of Haitians are food insecure. Combining the invasion and ravage of the pandemic to a dilapidating economy which is catalyzed by bad governance, Haiti is down on its knees in need of palliation and assistance to avail its population. A UNICEF report specified that about 168,000 Haitian children are suffering from malnutrition, where 4.1 million Haitians are suffering the pangs of food unavailability.
Gang violence
As confirmed by an Overseas Security Advisory Council in conjunction with US Embassy Regional Security Office, and according to a report by the US Department of State; Haiti is a critical threat location for civil unrest: political and gang violence. Through 2019, Haiti was paralyzed by waves of riots and gang violence which led to destruction of properties, loss of lives, and other egregious crimes. In 2020, the riots returned as soon as the imposed curfew was relaxed. Amidst this, a catalytic rise in gang violence is noticed — an event that has prevailed due to the deficient governance and justice system. The United Nations has asserted the outbreak of gang devised violence which has led to death, destruction of property, and civil unrest. This same challenge is really tending towards walling away Haitians in the diaspora from returning home and establishing businesses.
Other Vulnerabilities
An exclusive list of challenges facing Haiti would include the fast rising Haitian-Dominican migration, the Caribbean country’s high susceptibility to waterborne diseases, the corona virus, lack of basic social amenities, and potential exposure to natural hazards. A UNICEF report specified that nearly 23% of Haitians require emergency healthcare. This and more impending disasters have contributed to Haiti’s wreckage.
But hope is not lost. Despite the challenges pressing at the throat of the Caribbean country, there are doors leading out of the shambles. To achieve this;
1. The Haitian civil society and the country’s ruling icons should form an accord. There is the dire need to establish a solution to the country’s issues; a promising proposal as a first step. Haiti has to stand for itself.
2. Beef up Haiti’s influence at the table. The Haiti policy response should be strengthened by establishing a suite of members in the United States congress who would be nonpartisan and bicameral. This would help to establish a strong channel for the country’s policy needs.
3. Launch a working electoral machinery. To put a stop to the Haitian electoral debacle — which is apparent in the failure to hold last two cycles of the country’s elections– a trustable electoral body should be established, effective registration processes for voters should be launched, voter’s cards should be issued (in time), which at least would be the child steps towards a credible election.
4. The Haitian diaspora as a lifeline. Haitians based in the US have an active community which could be used to engage the big icons calling the shots at the Congress. Apart from this, well established Haitians in the diaspora should invest in their homeland and salvage its system — as a move to rescue it from impending doom.
5. The Haitian government should work towards fortifying the country’s justice system by enlarging the size of the Haitian National Police and establishing a competent legal system. There is dire need to end impunity and curb the waves of violence and crime by prosecuting culprits and establishing safe space. Else, majority of the Haitians in diaspora (if not all) would never feel secure to return to their motherland for any business transaction.